Sudan’s national football team believes a strong run at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could offer more than sporting pride, potentially providing a rare moment of unity and calm for a country devastated by nearly two years of war.
Ahead of their last-16 encounter with Senegal in Morocco, head coach Kwesi Appiah said the team is quietly hopeful that success on the pitch might ease tensions back home, even if only temporarily.
Sudan have reached the knockout phase of AFCON for just the second time since lifting the trophy in 1970. Their progress has come despite extraordinary challenges, including displacement from their home country and the collapse of much of Sudan’s sporting infrastructure due to conflict.
War Overshadowing Sporting Life
Sudan has been engulfed in fighting since April 2023, when long-simmering tensions between the Sudanese army and a powerful paramilitary force erupted into open warfare. The violence, rooted partly in disputes over the integration of armed groups, has killed tens of thousands of people, forced millions from their homes, and triggered widespread hunger.
The paramilitary faction involved traces its origins to the Janjaweed militias used by the state in the early 2000s during the Darfur conflict. The current war has since spread across large parts of the country, including the capital Khartoum.
Because of the insecurity, Sudan’s national team has not played a home match for around three years. Domestic football has also been disrupted, with leading clubs such as Al Hilal and Al Merrikh relocating to Rwanda to compete as guest teams in the local league. Despite these obstacles, Al Hilal have still managed to reach the group stage of this season’s CAF Champions League.
Football as a Rare Unifier
Speaking emotionally at a pre-match press conference, Appiah acknowledged how deeply the war has affected players and staff.
“These are questions I often try to avoid because the emotions are overwhelming,” the Ghanaian-born coach said. “But we hope that if we do well, if we win, it might help calm things down or even push people toward peace.”
He recalled a recent World Cup qualifying victory when, according to reports, fighting briefly stopped in parts of the country as people celebrated. “For a moment, the guns were silent. Everyone was celebrating together. Football has the power to do that,” he said.
Playing for Those Back Home
Team captain Bakhit Khamis echoed those sentiments, describing the personal toll of living and competing in exile.
“It is extremely difficult being away from our families and our homes,” he said. “But we are doing our best to cope and to make our supporters proud. Everything we do on the field is meant to bring some hope and happiness to our people.”
Sudan now face a daunting task against Senegal, one of Africa’s strongest sides and former continental champions. Yet for a team that has already defied the odds simply to be there, the match represents more than a football result—it is a chance to remind a fractured nation of what unity can look like, even in the darkest times.
Source: Africa Publicity
